Combination trash rack and radial gate



June l 1926. 3,58*@753 J. LEQN/R COMBINATION TRASH RACK AND RADIAL GATEFiled RarCh 25, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l S14/Dank@ 1 /f//f/W? June l 1926.

` J. A. LEONARD COMBINATION TRASH RACK AND RADAL GATE Filed March 25,1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 21T 7%. ma

. hf/l. WMM Inl/ULL 0 Num e 3 me Z m 3 V 6 w V Patented June 1, 1926.

UNTEB STATES PATENT ortica.

JAMES A. LEONARD, OF LEXVISTON, MAINE, ASSGNOB/ TO S. MORGAN SMITH COM-PANY, OF YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, A GC)RPORA'JIONy 0F PENNSYLVANIA.

COMBINATION TRASH RACK AND RADIAL GATE.

Application filed March 23, 1925.

This invention relates to trash racks for water power plants, and thepurpose of the same is to prevent fioating or water-logged timber, ice,branches of trees and other d- S bris from clogging the passages ofwater wheels or runners of turbine and other analogous installations.

rFliese r clis usually consist of metal bars arranged in the form of agrating and spaced in accordance with the dimensions of the wheel orrunner, the said racks being disposed a short distance upstream from theentrance to the wheel chambers or fiumes, so that any water reaching theturbines must first pass through the raclrs, and by this means all dbrisis caught and held and prevented from reaching the water wheels. Acommon practice has been to iX these racks firmly in position, and thetrash can only 39 be removed by the efforts of one or a. number ofoperators laboriously raking them with long-handled rakes or by means ofexpensive and complicated machines of doubtful value.

The present invention consists in fastening a rack of suitable designtoa properly formed radial or Taintor gate, the. rack and gate being soarranged that when the gate is lifted through the water to apredetermined elevation or proper position, the rubbish or dbris whichhas collected on the raclt will be washed automatically from the surfaceof the rack and carried downstream over a properly designed spillway orthrough a trough or canal.

The advantages of the proposed improvements are manifold and amongothers may be mentioned that owing to the combination of the head gateand raclr, the initial eX- Vpense of construction and installation isconsiderably less than by the use of the older fined form of rack, andconsiderable saving ensues in the construction of the masonry of theintakes. With a motor operated hoist of well understood form oneoperator can clean all of the racks in a large power plant in a shorttime. As each water wheel or turbine is provided with two or more gatesand racks, the racks can be thoroughly cleaned without shuttingy downthe wheel, and furthermore, incase of tlanr age to the raclrs, they canbe' lifted entirely out of thewater and the full length thereof willthen be exposed to view for inspection Serial No. 17,728.

and repair. Owing to the fact that the racks and gates are entirelylsubmerged below the ice line, neither' fixed ice nor socalled anchor icewill interfere with them, and the submergence of the bars constitutingthe components of the rack in water below the ifrost line will preventice from freezing to them, and as a consequence the ordinary troubleresulting from anchor ice will be largely eliminated. It is alsopossible in accordance with the features of the present invention anddesirable that under certain conditions the gates be made entirelyautomatic by means of motors operated by a flo-at located back of ordownstream from the racks, and by this means, when the racks become soclogged with leaves, ice or other dbris that the surface of the water islower back of the racks than upstream, the ioat will start the motor andthe racks will rise until the dbris is washed off; after which the waterwill assume the same elevation above and below the rack and gate, andthe' rack will then be automatically lowered to its first or normalposition.

In the drawings preferred embodiments of the improved trash ra-cl; andgate are shown to illustrate the essential features of the invention,and therein Fig. l is a cross section through a turbine installation andthe masonry incident there vto together with the intake therefor,showing the impro-ved combined rack and gate in transverse section inclosed and open posiu tic-ns, respectively, in full and dotted linestogether with means diagrammatically illustrated for controlling theopen and closed positions of the combined device.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of a portion of the bottom or arcuate or gatemember of the improved rack and gate.

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on an enlarged scale of theimproved rack and gate.

F ig. l is a front side elevation of a portion of the rack, showing therods or bars and the means for holding the same.

F ig. 5 is an enlarged transverse vertical section showing means forforming a water seal at the horizontal sill at the bottom of the gate; w

The numeral 5 designates masonry or con crete' work comprising a chamberer 5 in which is installed a turbine T, an intake 8 and a tail-race 9,into which the draft tube l0 ot the turbine discharges in a well knownmanner. The turbine as shown by Fig. l is of the horizontal type but mayberepla'ced by the vertical 'type ot' turbine. The intake 8, as usual,is located at the upstream portion o't' a fiume or raceway ll. landabove the same and the turbine installation and masonry is a motor hoistl2, which is diagranr matically represented, having a cable or analogousdevice 123 associated therewith and depending therefrom .tor a purposewhich will be presently explained. A spillway 14 is provided lover thearch or enclosure 15 of masonry or concrete work for forming the passageor chamber 6, and at the base of the intake is an elevated breast orridge 1G of masonry or conc-rete work, preferably ot truncated form, toprovide a bottom sill which forms part of a gate andtrasli-rack-receiving space or ser. i 17, located immediately in rearthereof. All ot the features et structure thus iar described are wellknown in the art oi turbine installation and may be modiiiedindefinitely, as the featuresl of the intention are not dependentuponany precise structure ot masonry or concrete wor-k and particularturbine installation and spillway or analogous relief means.

The essential Jfeature of the invention consists of a combined trashrack 1S and gate 19, presenting a` substantially triangular structurewhich is pivoted at its apex or upper end QG to any suitable supportingrmeans for a. pivot or fulcrum 2l, which is preferably located at theupper forward ei;- tremity of the arch or enclosure l5. The combinedtrash rack and gate as shown by Figs. l and 3 has an arcuate base orbottom 2Q., constituting the gate member, the curve ot this member beingstruck from the upper pivot 2l as a center. The combined trash rack andgate which is shown on an enlarged scale by Fig. 3 may be constructed inany manner desired to obtain economy in organization and at the sametime give the greatest etiiciency and strength and durability iuservice. Generally speaking, the rack and gate will respectivelycomprise a number ot I-beams 23 and associated to diverge towards thebottom or gate member 22 from the upper reduced extremity oi the deviceand counter-braced, vfor instance, by I-beams 25 connecting the beams 23of the trash-rack member 18. At the upper couverge-:l end of the gate asuitable beam-embracing structure or web 26 will be applied, and at thelower en'd oit the trash rack reinforcing beams 27 and braces 28 will beprovided as shown by Fig. Between the lower or divergent ends of thebeams 23 and Qfl the arcuate bottom or gate member 22 of the combineddevice is located and consists preferably ot a suitable sheet metalclosure 29- wilh cross beams ISH ol' Lloria. which are secured at theirends lo the etui structures of the combined rack and At intervals, also,tie braces or reini'o ug devices 3l will be introduced between the beamsQ3 and 2l at a comp ativcly short distance upwardly from the a rcuatcgate :2Q comprising the metal sheathing 2i). and as may be foundnecessary in various installations to meet different contingencies otherstructural features may be added to increase the operative efliciency ofthe combined rack and gate, the essential 'feature of which .s thecombination ot the two devices. Over the beams which are spaced atregular intervals, bars or rods 32 are secured and spaced any suitabledistance and also braced between the beams 23 by rods 2325. The rods orbars 32 may be of any form and extend fully across the rack. The rearbeams Qt are spaced apart a suitable distance to provide for treepassage oi water into the chamber 6 for supplying the. turbineinstallation and materially adding to the strength oit the completedevice. The cableT chain or analogous device 13 depends from and isattached to the lower reinforced construction of the rack 1S asindicated in iiull and dotted lines in Fig. l, so that themotor-operated hoist l2 may raise and lower the combined rack and gateas also indicated by tull ani dotted lines in Fig. l.

A special iorm o'tz water seal organization is provided for the bottomot' the coinbined rack and gate and particularlyy for cooperation withthe arcuate sheet metacnclosure 29 comprised in the structure oi' thearcuate base or bottom QQ which. constitu Fig. 5 and is located atl theupper reduced portion oi the breast or ridge lo which provides thebottom sill for the 1 jatc. This water seal organization comprises inits pri terred construction a cast-iron or other mctallic box having apcriiorated removable cover enclosure 35, thc box with its cover beinginset iu the upper rear angie o the sill. The box or enclosure il-lhas arear inclined side 36 with an opening :3T cxtendimr the full lengththereon, and in this box or enclosure a steel or other suitable rod 11Nis loosely mounted and has a rubber or anal` ogous sheathing or coveringlli?. 'the bottom of the box or enclosure as at itl is inclineddownwardly and rearv-:ardly to as sist in the operation of the rod lh.fria-u the arcuate gate or member 22 is raised o shut the water out ot'the thune. the rod 88 will roll against the gate and the pressure ofthewater admitted through the perforations or apertures ot the iid orcover will force the rod tightly against the gate. in View of the tactthat a portion of the said Lasarte rod will be projected through theopening 37. As there is no water pressure back ot the gate or the rod,the desired tight seal between the rod and the arcuate gate will bemaintained and prevent leakage ot the water between the gate and thesill. By this means, when the gate is raised to bring the rack member 18into upper position for cleaning purposes, the water will be completelysluit oit from the turbine.

The operation of the improved combined rack and gate structure is verysimple. When the combined device is elevated as illustrated by dottedlines through the operation of the chain, cable or analogous device 18,the raclr 18 is disposed at the upper level ot the water, which flowsover the rack and washes ott the collected dbris there'lrom, the debrispassing rearwardly through the spillway or other outlet leldownstreamand away from the installation. After the rack has been cleaned, it willbe lowered to the position shown in full lines by F 1 through a reverseoperation ot the cable, chain or similar device 13, thereby bringing;ithe raclr 1S into normal position and opening the flume for the freeflow ot water to the turbine installation.

Instead of using the motor hoist 12 with its cable or analogous device13 as shown, any suitable means may be adopted which performs the samefunction and including the well known float organization. It is alsoproposed to modiiy the proportions of the several yparts ot the combineddevice to adapt the same to various applications, and further, toincorporate therein various structural features that will add to thestrength and durability ot the complete combined rack and gate. It willbe obvious that the combined rack and gate herein disclosed may operatewith either a horizontal or vertical turbine installation with equaleiliciency.

lVhat is claimed as new is:

1. In a device for water power plants of the class speci'ed, thecombination with a part of the plant, of a radial gate converg ingtowards its upper extremity and pivotally attached to a part ot theplant at said extremity, the gate comprising a iront straight rack anda. lower curved closed bottom uniformly movable with the said straightrack.

2. In a device for water power plants of the class speciiied, thecombination with a portion oit lthe plant, ot a radial gate comprising afront straight rack and a lower curved closed bottom connected foruniform movement and converging towards the upper reduced extremity ofthe gate which is pivoted to a part of the plant and whereby the frontrack may be elevated for cleaning the same and the flow ot water sluitoli by the bottom part of the gate.

3. In a water power plant, the co1nbina tion with a fiume, an upperoverflow means and a turbine installation, ot' a radial gate coiergingtowards its upper extremity and hai ing said extremity pivotallyconnected to a part ot the plant below the overflow, the gate comprisinga front straight raclr and a lower curved closure connected to andmovable uniformly with the'raclr whereby the rack may be raised forcleaning and the flow of water to the turbine installation checkedduring the cleaning operation.

el. The combination of a water power plant comprising a flume, an upperoverflow from the fiume and a turbine installation around which theoverflow passes, a radial. gate converging towards its upper extremityand pivoted to a part oi: the plant below the overtiow and comprising aforward straight rack and a lower closed curved gate connected to therack for unitary movement, the combined rack and gate having asubstantially triangular torni and whereby when the rack is raised forcleaning purposes the gate will cut oiil the flow ot water irom theflume.

The combination oi? a water power plant comprising a flume, a turbineinstallation and an upper overflow around the turbine installation, acombined forward rack and lower arcuate closing gate connected to therack for unitary movement therewith, the rack and gate having asubstantially triangular form and pivotally connected to a part of theplant at its upper reduced apex extremity, and means connected to thelower portion of the rack for raising the latter within the cleaninginfluence of the overflow means and bring the arcuate gate in closingposition relatively to the flume and, conversely, for lowering the rackand the arcuate gate.

6. A water power plant comprising a `l'lnme, a turbine installation, anupper overflow trom the fiume around and past the turbine installation,a lower seat structure at the base ot the thune and in advance o' theturbine installation, and a forward rack having a lower arcuate closinggate connected thereto for unitary movement, the raclr and gate being otsubstantially triangular form and pivot-ally connected at the upperreduced apex extremity thereof to a part of the plant, the lower arcuategate normally resting in the said seat, and means for raising andlowering the unitary rack and gate.

7. A device Jfor water power plants of the specified consisting ot arear trame, a iront rack and a lower closure structure all connected tomove as a unit, the frame and rack diverging from an upper reduced eX-tremity to the said closure means, and means for pivotally mounting theupper reduced extremity of the device.

8. A turbine installation, a fiume leading to the latter, and anoverflow at the upper part of the :thune around the turbine installation, all of the class speeilied, and a lower e and a 'trout rackconnected to and inove as a unit with the gate in the thune in relianceot the turbine iistallation, the gate anfl raei: having` (linie: lionscorresponding to the depth and width o1 the l'iuine, the gate having avert-'cal xxteiit when open to e1;- clude the llow el" water theieoveror thereunder to the turbine installation.

t). The combination wit-h a. water power plant having,- a turbineinstallation and a suppl).7 thune with an intake coniinunicating,` withthe chamber ot the said installation, ot a lower ,ga-t1 and trout rackconnected tor unitary openingv and closing iiioif'enieiitsI and disposedin the said intake, the unitary gate anti rack being piro-teil at theupper e1;- treiiiity thereof, the lluine lia-:ing i'cliet ine-anel fore; Tying the water past the turbine installation, and in l:uns torraising and lowering the coinbii ed gate and rack, the rack and gatewhen elevated closing oli' the liow ot water to the turbine installationand permitting the rack to be automatically cleaned by the water flowingthereover.

l0. The combination with a turbine installation having a water supplycoininunieating with a lluine by ineens ot' an intake, the. tianie beingprovided with ineens 'tor Carrying the water downstrean'i past the insallation, a, forward rack nie; ns and lower gate combined tor unitaryniovtnient and pivotally connected at. the upper extremity thereof to apart ot the turbine installation, operating,` inea s connected to therack and gate Jfor raising); and lowerinthe saine, inov able ineanslocated at the lower tori 'ard portion ot the installation tor forming awatertight joint with the gate, the rack being exposed when elevated toa cleaning tlow ot the water to reniove trash, debris and othericeuinulations therelroin.

ll. 'the combination with a turbine installation having water supplyineans, ot a ark pivotally conneetet` at its upper end to ay part ot theinstallation and provided with a lower aicuate closing` ,ejateinovaliile as a unit therewith and ot such extent as to prevent overtlowot the water ot' the Supply ineans tlieieovcr to the urbineinstallation, and nieehanisni igor `arisingand lowering` the iaek andgate, the ack when 'aised beingautomatically elaiied and 'treed ottrash, dbris and other accumulations by the water flowing` thereover andthe libe ated t ash,

det; and other accumulations carried oli elerr it the turbineinstallation.

l2. fr turbine installation having;l :i water eunjly nieaus. combinedwith a rack having ower closing fate connected to and niore as a unitsith the i'aek, the rack and l e unit being pi voted at its upper`xtreniity Vo respectively elevate the rai-k to an upi i port-ion of thesui'ipli`- nie-ans anal tertiraily through the latter to perniit thewater to autoniafi'ieall)v clean the rack and cause trash, dbris andothe accumulations to llow awaj," clear et the turbine installation andalso during' such latter operation to arise the fate to shut oli' thewater supply troni the turbine installation.

13. "lhe eonibination with a turbine installation including niasonryloiniing a Supply chainlicr tor the turbine and also providing an intakehaving' a lower sill, olV a raelv 'votally connect-ed at its upper endto the upper portion ot the installation and having a rate secured toand niovable therewith a unit upwardly and downwardly through thesuppl;v ineans, the gate nioi'ini,y

close to the rear portion ot the sill, operating nieans ir ra ng andlowering the rack :uil gate, and z, water seal organization in the silland consisting ot a inovnung-ite( able iieans' eoiitrollal by watepressure to contact i 'i 'li the gat and prevent leakage ot vaterthrough the lower portion or the gate when the latter is rained to eutoil' the supply o t water to the turbine installation and dispose thei'aek in position ior cleaning ae eiiinuiations theretoni.

l. rthe combination with a turbine instan ation including chaniberedinasonry hav wter sipply nieans and an intake togetrrc" with a lowersill, ot a rack povotally toene 'l a; its upper end to a portion ot tueinsa lation and having.:- a lower gate ot JAMES it. LEONARD.

